Horse Judging Team Opens Season with Win at NACTA

CANYON, Texas—The West Texas A&M University horse judging team opened its season with a first-place overall win at the North American Colleges Teacher of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Competition Wednesday, April 3 in Lubbock.

The team won first place with 1,711 points with Sam Houston State University (1,605), University of Minnesota (1,600) and Northwest Missouri State (1,467) rounding out the top four teams. The event featured 15 teams and 70 contestants.

In individual placings, WTAMU students filled the top six overall finishes. Caitlin Robb finished first overall after placing first in performance and reasons and second in halter. Second-place overall honors went to Faith Schleich, who took first in halter and second in performance and reasons. Teammate Kayla Bridgman placed third overall, followed by Caitlyn Tanner at fourth, Marilyn Brandt at fifth and Mary Trimble at sixth overall.

“This is the first competition of the year for this group of students, which is a new group,” Dr. John Pipkin, director of the equine industry program and coach of the horse judging team, said. “While this is an excellent start in competitions for this team, it is a long time until their final competition in December. I am pleased where we are as a team at this point, but there is a great deal of work and progress to be made by everyone for the team to be competitive in the major competitions in the fall. It’s a great start, and I’m excited for them and their success.”